Up-and-coming athletes in Derbyshire are being given the chance to take their sporting careers to the next level with Everyone Active's Sporting Champions scheme.
Relaunching this month and celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the renowned programme empowers aspiring athletes to achieve their full potential through access to state-of-the-art training facilities and invaluable mentoring support from Olympians and Paralympians.
New for 2026, athletes over 16 will receive access to the You+ membership, designed to promote holistic health and wellbeing and centred around individual needs.
Since its inception, Sporting Champions has elevated the careers of more than 6,000 athletes by providing them with free access to Everyone Active's 230-plus leisure centres nationwide, including Moorways Sports Village, run in partnership with Derby City Council.
Derby City Council last month triumphed in the Local Authority of the Year category at Everyone Active’s Champions Awards at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield.
Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder Colin Jackson will return as the scheme’s Ambassador for 2026-27.
He will work alongside a line-up of inspiring Elite athletes who have starred on the Olympic and Paralympic stage – Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Maisie Summers-Newton, Emma Finucane, Lauren Steadman and Richard Kilty – in mentoring sessions throughout the year.
These sporting heroes will offer wisdom, guidance and expert advice, guiding promising athletes through every milestone of their sporting journeys.
Colin said:
With the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on the horizon, I am more excited than ever to support athletes of all ages and from all disciplines to achieve their dreams. I'm passionate about nurturing young talent and the Sporting Champions scheme goes above and beyond in this mission.
Over the past nine years, the Sporting Champions scheme has poured more than £2million into young athletes, proving its commitment to grassroots sporting excellence.
Simon Morgan, Everyone Active’s area contract manager, said:
We are delighted to support up-and-coming athletes from Derbyshire on their journey to success. As a leisure provider working in partnership with local councils, we feel it is important to cater for all sections of the community to ensure all budding athletes have access to the best facilities and opportunities.
The Sporting Champions scheme has supported thousands of athletes over the years, and we are proud to be continuing this again in 2026. We hope to continue making a real difference to our athletes’ success.
Cllr Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Parks and Leisure, said:
We’re incredibly proud of the sporting talent in Derby, and the Sporting Champions scheme is a fantastic way to ensure our athletes reach their full potential. Having access to top-tier facilities like Moorways and mentorship from sporting icons can be a game-changer for a young person’s career.
We were delighted to be named as Local Authority of the Year, and remain committed to nurturing our city’s emerging talent.
Applications for the Champions schemes run until Friday, March 20. You can apply via the Everyone Active Champions website.